Counterbatten systems are used with tile roof installations to elevate the roof tiles above the roof deck surface. By elevating the roof tiles, water is prevented from gathering under and/or around the roof tiles, which protects the roof deck from damage, and the air space created between the roof deck and the roof tiles facilitates ventilation of the roof.
Counterbatten systems are typically created by fastening wood strips, which are called vertical battens, in a vertical direction up the roof at 16″ or 24″ on center onto the roof decking. Horizontal, or anchor, battens are then fastened directly onto these vertical battens. The size of the batten strips will vary according to spacing and load factors, but the minimum dimensions are typically ⅜″ thick for the vertical strips and nominal 1″×3″ for the horizontal strips. By installing the horizontal battens onto the vertical battens, nail penetrations into the roof decking are minimized, and the nails that penetrate the roof deck are less likely to be exposed to water because they only penetrate the vertical strips that run parallel to water flow.
Although such counterbatten systems provide some advantages to tile roof installations, they may be time consuming to install. U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,171 discloses an elevated batten system solution in which pads or blocks are attached to the underside of the horizontal batten strips prior to installation, and these pads serve the function of the vertical strips of the counterbatten system. By not having to install the vertical strips, the installation may progress more quickly and with less materials. This elevated batten system uses diamond-shaped pads, which diverts the flow of any water to either side of the pad. Such systems require relatively accurate orientation and attachment of the pads relative to the strips, which can increase the amount of time and cost it takes to manufacture the batten strips. In addition, inconsistencies in the height of the batten strips at each pad may be introduced when the pads are attached to the horizontal strips if a fastener, such as a nail or staple, is not inserted into the pad properly or if varying amounts of adhesive are used to couple the pads to the horizontal strips.
Thus, there remains a need in the art for an improved elevated batten system.